Link Between Reading, Visual Perception, and Visual–Motor Integration

Link Between Reading, Visual Perception, and Visual–Motor Integration

Decoding written words is a key component to developing the ability to read.  In order to decode, children need adequate visual perceptual skills.  Recent research published in Dyslexia discussed the link between reading, visual perception, and visual–motor integration using the Developmental Test of Visual Perception version 2 (DTVP-2).  The study examined three parts:

1) how did visual perception and visual–motor integration in kindergarten predict reading outcomes in neurotypical Grade 1 students.

2) if the skills can be seen as clinical markers in children with dyslexia.

3) if visual–motor integration and motor-reduced visual perception can distinguish children with dyslexia depending upon whether they exhibited developmental coordination disorder.

The results of the study indicated the following:

• phonological awareness and visual–motor integration predicted reading outcomes one year later.
• DTVP-2 demonstrated similarities and differences in visual–motor integration and motor-reduced visual perception between children with DD, DCD, and both of these deficits.

The researchers concluded that the DTVP-2 is a suitable tool to examine links between visual perception, visual–motor integration and reading, and to differentiate cognitive signs of children with developmental disabilities.

Reference: Bellocchi, S., Muneaux, M., Huau, A., Lévêque, Y., Jover, M., & Ducrot, S. (2017). Exploring the Link between Visual Perception, Visual–Motor Integration, and Reading in Normal Developing and Impaired Children using DTVP‐2. Dyslexia, 23(3), 296-315.

Looking for activities to practice visual perceptual skills and visual motor integration?  Check out these titles:

Hole Punch Palooza – combine visual perceptual, visual motor, letter recognition and hand strengthening with this digital download.  It includes 26 capital letter strips, 26 lowercase letter strips, 16 pre-writing strips, 12 visual discrimination strips, 4 counting strips, 4 prepositional phrase strips and 4 hole punch race strips.  Once printed, children can trace the letters, write the letters and hole punch the matching letters.  All the hole punch strips are in black and white.Hole Punch Palooza encourages: hand strengthening, handwriting and drawing practice, visual discrimination skills, visual motor skills, right/left discrimination and bilateral coordination.

Visual Motor Exercises – This digital download includes 25 long mazes and patterns to print, assemble and complete to practice pencil control.  Once the pattern/maze is assembled it is 28 inches in length.  This length encourages the child to cross the midline and to rotate the head (vestibular input) while completing the visual motor exercise.  The patterns and mazes vary in difficulty from easy to hard with horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curves and circular patterns.  The patterns/mazes are all in black and white.  There is a step by step direction sheet with color photos for the children to follow along.

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